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Norfolk Public Schools previews hybrid 4x4 block schedule for high schools; principals back change
Summary
Norfolk Public Schools presented a hybrid 4x4 block schedule Jan. 8, a proposal the district says would expand access to dual enrollment, ease teacher workload and help students complete world-language requirements sooner.
Norfolk Public Schools staff presented a hybrid 4x4 block scheduling proposal for the district's five high schools at the board's Jan. 8 meeting. Amber Brown, the district's chief schools officer, described the hybrid model as a mix of semester (4 by 4) blocks for many courses with year-long scheduling reserved for Advanced Placement, dual-enrollment, IB, fine and performing arts, and selected math and CTE courses.
Brown said the model aims to boost access to college-level coursework and provide more opportunities for students to complete required world-language sequences earlier, which county staff tied directly to advanced-studies diploma eligibility. The hybrid structure also allows faster recovery (credit recovery and remediation), internship and work-based learning blocks, and more flexible scheduling for students who transfer between districts.
High-school principals from Booker T. Washington, Granby, Lake Taylor, Maury and Norview (present and named on the record) testified in favor of the change, saying the model helps with student engagement, teacher workload management and opportunities for dual enrollment or early graduation. Principals noted other Hampton Roads districts already use similar models.
Concerns raised by board members included: counseling and scheduling burdens on school counselors, continuity for military families who transfer mid-year, teacher vacancy and retention impacts, and how state SOL testing schedules align with semester courses. Staff said the district will provide targeted professional development for teachers and counselors, hold additional parent information sessions (including a virtual and an in-person session at Granby on Jan. 15), and work with online platforms and credit-recovery options to support transitions.
Why it matters: A schedule change at the high-school level affects course sequencing, SOL testing windows, teacher workload and students' ability to pursue advanced diplomas or dual-enrollment coursework. The board was presented the plan; no action was requested that night.
Ending: District staff and principals said they will continue community outreach and PD work; the board will receive further communications and opportunities for public feedback before any decision to adopt the model.
